Apparatus for the electric heating and vaporization of a liquid



March 29, 1966 vlcaNl-:REe SR APPARATUS FOR THE ELECTRIC HEATING ANDVAPORIZATION OF A LIQUID 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug. 14, 1985 ::21-11:12 i". u r

/NVENTOR Leon ard V/'grergSn a* @j M l AHdrhel1 I March 29, 1966 L..VIGNERE, sR

APPARATUS FOR `THE ELECTRIC HEATING AND VAPORIZATIONDF A LIQUID FiledAug. 14, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG.6.

FIG.5.

IN VE N TO R Leonard Vignever.

BY W,

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United States Patent O 3,243,575 'APPARATUS FOR THE ELECTRIC HEATING ANDVAPORIZATION 0F A LIQUID Leonard Vignere, Sr., 119 W. Sheridan Ave., NewCastle, Pa. Filed Aug. 14, 1963, Ser. No. 302,042 Claims. (Cl. 219-273)This invention relates to the electric heating of a volume of liquid inorder to convert it to hot vapor for circulating it through a buildingradiator or like heating system.

An important object of the invention is to provide apparatus for thevaporization of a liquid by electric means, wherein the electric meansincludes a plurality of electric resistance elements, each encased inrelatively small heat insulated housings, which housings are partlyimmersed in the relatively large volume of liquid within a vessel andhave relatively small passageways from the liquid within the vessel tothe interiors of the housings, for the heating of the relatively smallvolumes of liquid within the housings, the impingement upon the electricresistance elements of sprayed liquid, in a line mist, and theconversion of the sprayed liquid into hot vapor which is conductedthrough a building heating system to form a part of a closed system,whereby it is not necessary to |bring a large volume of liquid to atemperature where hot vapor will be given off and maintained at suchtemperature to continue to heat the entire volume of the liquid.

` Another important object of the invention is to provide apparatusincluding a plurality of relatively small vaporizer units for thevaporization of a liquid by electric means wherein apparatus of a givenliquid capacity is flexible as to B.t.u. capacity since it is simplynecessary to decrease or increase the watt output of the resistanceelements Without increasing the liquify capacity of the vaporizing unitsthereof.

Still another important object of the invention is to provide apparatusas described above which permits the ready removal, repair orreplacement of a vaporizer unit without disturbing the others of thevaporizer units.

A further important object of the invention is to provide apparatus asreferred to above which is so constructed and arranged that there issubstantially no heat loss ofthe liquid within the vaporizer units.

An additional important object of the invention is to provide a novelform of electric resistance element which is new and useful for use withthe apparatus herein disclosed, since it is particularly sturdy, not aptto deform in shape, and will receive the fine mist of the spray, whichis illustrated and will be described herein, in an especially eflicientmanner.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will `be apparent duringthe course of the following detailed de* scription of the invention,taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, forming portions ofthis specification, and in which drawings:

FIG. lis a view mostly in elevation but partly in vertical section of apreferred embodiment of the apparatus of the invention.

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view of the upper portion ofa vaporizer unit forming a portion of the apparatus.

FIG. 3 is a view partly in horizontal section of the apparatus, on ascale enlarged somewhat over that of the apparatus of FIG. l, and thuspermitting the showing of the insulated wall of the apparatus in moredetail.

FIG. 4 is a wiring diagram of the electrical system of the apparatus.

FIG. 5 is a transverse sectional view, greatly enlarged,

3,243,575 Patented Mar. 29, 1966 ice of a resistance element forming apart of the apparatus and shown in FIG. l.

FIG. 6 is a conventionalized liquid spray pattern provided by the spraynozzle of FIG. 7.

FIG. 7 is an elevational view of a spray nozzle forming a part of avaporizer unit of the apparatus with a conventionalized pattern ofliquid spray projected therefrom.

In the drawings wherein for the purpose of illustration is shown apreferred embodiment of the invention and wherein similar referencecharacters designate corresponding parts throughout the several views,the letter A generally designates one of a plurality of like vaporizerunits and the letter B, a liquid storage vessel for liquid, and housingthe vaporizer units.

The liquid storage Vessel B is best shown in FIGS. l and 3 and includesa tubular housing Z2 which may be two concentric upwardly-extendingcylindrical shells `of steel with any suitable conventional heatinsulation material 23 between them, best shown in FIG.l 1. Ahorizontally disposed ring-shaped flange 23 is secured to the upper endportions of the shells and extends outwardly from the outermost shelland secured at its outer edge to an upwardly-extending wall of a cabinetstructure 68 which encloses the shells. To the upper end portion of theinner shell is secured a drum with side wall 24', upper wall 24, andlower wall 25. The side wall is secured to the inner face of theinner'shell. The walls of the drum define a vacuum space 35. Means tosecure the elements, referred to above, together may be conventionalwelds.

Also forming a portion of the housing 22 is a bottom structure 25 whichpreferably comprises two horizontal discs, with heat insulation materialbetween them, such as the heat insulation 23 referred to above. Thediscs are secured to the bottom end portion of the inner shell of thehousing, and a horizontal ilange 23 which may be like the ange 23 andcovers the lower ends of the shells and extends to the wall of thecabinet structure 68 to which it is secured. Means to vsecure the discsto the inner shell and the flange 23 to the wall of the cabinetstructure are preferably conventional welds.

The shells of the housing 22 are preferablyprovided with a series ofspaced apart openings to receive the inner end portions of valve stemsof valve structures 34 carrying valve elements for seating on valveseats 33 of tubular walls 3 and 5 to be later described. The housings ofthe valve structures are preferably secured to the outer shell of thehousing 22, as byconventional welds.

It will be seen in FIG. l that there is an overflow opening orpassageway 45 in the walls 3 and 5 and portions 4 in order to maintainthe liquid level 44 the same within and Without the shells.

v Supporting the housing 22 may be suitable support means as theL-shaped legs-and-feet structures 27 provided with levelling screws 28.

Both the walls 24 and 25 of the drum, and the wall structure 25' areprovided with a plurality of spaced apart openings,vwith the openings inthe Walls 24 and 25 axially aligning with the openings in the wallstructure 25'. These openings are constructed and arranged'to receivethe innermost tubular walls 3 `of vaporizer units A, to be nextdetailed.

The number of vaporizer units A may vary, but I have shown, by way ofexample, as in FIG. 3, six of such units which would require sixopenings in each of the walls 24 and 25 and wall structure 25.

Referring to FIG. 2, it will be seen that the upper ends of the tubularwalls 3 of the elongated vaporizer housings 4 are closed by closurediscs 14, of which the outermost portions thereof are disposed upon theadjacent portions of the wall 24, with suitable gaskets 17 between thelower faces of the discs 14 and wall 24.

out plug 7.

The discs 14 are removably secured to the wall 24 as by conventionalscrews 16 (FIG. 1).

Concentric Vwith the walls 3 of the housings 4 of the vaporizer units A,but spaced therefrom, are outermost tubular walls with suitableconventional heat insulation material 6, such as Fiberglas, in the upperparts of the spaces between the tubular walls. The lower parts of thesespaces may be occupied by metallic tubular portions 4. It will be noted,as in FIGS. 1 and 2, that there is a collar 24" which is carried by thedisc 14, and this collar encircles the upper portion of the innermosttubular wall 3. It will also be noted, as in FIG. 1, that the upper endot the outermost tubular wall 5 ends short of the upper end of theinnermost tubular wall, i.e., at the bottom face of the lower wall 25.Surrounding a portion of the innermost tubular wall where it emergesupwardly from the wall 2S is a flat metal ring packing gland 46 forholding a conventional O-ring 47 (which also surrounds a portion of theinnermost tubular wall) in intimate engagement with theV latter in orderto form an expansion means for the latter. Of course, the structureheretofore described and shown in'FIGS. 1 or 2 is characteristic of allof the vaporizing units A.

While the lower ends of the outermost tubular walls 5 rest upon thebottom wall structure 25', the lower end portions of the innermosttubular walls 3 extend through the openings in the wall structure 25 asmay be seen in FIG. 1, and the lower ends of these walls 3 are bridgedby a closure 7 having a central screw-threaded opening to receive theinner screw-threaded end portion of a clean- The closure 7 may beconventionally welded to the wall 3.

Each vaporizer unit A is provided with a valve seat 33 for a valve 34with the seats and passageways therefrom preferably quite close to thelower ends of the walls 3 and 5, with the passageways extending throughthe tubular portion 4. Thus the liquid flowing `past the seats andthrough the passageways does not irnpregnate the insulation material. Attheir upper end portions, the inner most tubular walls 3 are providedwith at least one vapor exit opening 26, opening to the vacuum space 35.

Referringnow to the electric heating elements (there being one elementfor each unit A), the same have been developed and perfected by me forthe efiicient use ofmy vaporizer units. Each element 1 comprises asingle length of electricity-conducting metallic resistance material 65(FIG. 5), such as wire surrounded by suitable ceramic or like material64 with the latter surrounded by conventional electric coil sheeting63', with one intermediate portion -of the length of material suitablyfashioned into a substantially straight length with its longitudinalaxis substantially paralleling the longitudinal axis of the portioncontaining the convolutions, whereby the bared terminals of the electricwire core 65 are disposed at the same end of the element, substantiallyas shown in FIG. 1. For the conservation of space, the substantiallystraight length is disposed within vthe vertical planes of convolutions,also as may be seen in FIG. 1. That view also shows the associated sprayjet discharge nozzle 9 4for each vaporizer unit A. The nozzles 9 arepreferably of the type shown in FIG. 7 having screw-threaded necks forscrew-threaded connection with vertically adjustable exteriorlyscrewthreaded couplings 9 carried by the screw-threaded walls ofopenings through'the axial center of the discs 14. 'Coupled at the upperend portions of the couplings 9 are the return means for conducting thecondensed liquid from the radiators or the like to the vaporizer units.This means includes the coupling nut 8 and T-'coupling 18 to which issecured the pressure lines oriconduits which 4open into a preferablycircularmanifold 21 and radiate therefrom, such las 'shown in FIG. 3.

Opening into the manifold 21 is a pressure pump discharge line orconduit 52 which, through appropriate union 51 and elbow 50, opens intothe'discharge side of a conventional rotary high-pressure pump 60 whichpref- 4 erably is constructed to reach and maintain a pressure of about120 p.s.i.

The intake side of the pump 60 receives the end portion of a suctionline or conduit 53 which opens into the outlet 67 from the vacuum space35.

The pump 60 may be rotated by an electric motor 59, for example, withthe end of the element 1 just above the horizontal plane of the valveseat 33, which has been found to be required for efficient operation.Since there should be provision for the unimpeded spread of a conicalspray jet 54 in the upper portion of the innermost tubular wall 3, theuppermost convolution is directly below the general spread of the jet.

Referring mainly to FIG. 2, the upper ends of the length of resistancematerial provide terminals 10 which may be screw threaded to receiveelectrical conductor connection means, such as the nuts 11 adapted tobear against the end (eyelet) of a conductor 12, with an electricinsulation washer 15 between the lower nut 11 and thev disc 14 andsuitable electric insulation material, as col-V lars 13 about theterminals 10 below the washers, substantially as shown in FIG. 2.

The disc closures 14 also support portions of the vapor-i izing means,including a housing of the pump and motor interconnected by aconventional connecting memben The motor may be supported from the wallof the cabinet structure 68 as by brackets 59' and 59".

The nozzles 9 discharge spray in a fine mist pattern somewhatdiagrammatically shown in elevation in FIG. 7 at 54 and, comparedtherewith, in a transverse ringshaped pattern, as shown at 55 in FIG. 6so that the spray impinges on only the coils of the heating elements 1to be immediately vaporized.

Below the lower wall 25 of the drum which encloses the vacuum space 35,is a pneumatic space 63 which is dened by the Wall 25, the upperportions of the walls 5 and the surface level 44 of the body of liquidwithin the vessel B. This level 44 is also the level of the liquidwithin the vaporizer units A, when the valve 34 is un' seated and thislevel may be regarded as a maximum operating level for the liquid. Theliquid intake means is shown at the lower right hand portion of FIG. 1and preferably comprises a conduit 31 extending from the main (notshown) to open into a conventional T-{coupling 30 with a conventionalremovable clean-out plug 32 therein and a preferably manually-operatedvalve 43 interposed in the conduit 31. From the T-coupling a conduitsection 29 opens into the interior of the vessel B being coupled to thevessel by the screw-threaded coupling 66.

A main line vapor outlet 36 opens into the upper end of the vacuum space35 and, of course, leads to the heat radiating means` (not shown, butwhich may be conventional radiators).

FIGS. l and 3 include showings of a portion of a conventional vacuumpump suction line or conduit 38 from a source of air to the intake sideof a vacuum pump 39 which may be operated by a conventional electricmotor 58. The exhaust side of the pump opens into a coupling 40 which,in turn, opens into the space 63.

The motor 58 and vacuum pump 39 may be supported by a suitable bracketstructure 41 carried by the walls of the vessel B. The pump 39 may bebolted to the bracket as by bolts 42. Interposed in the suction line 53by way of connection 67 is a conventional vacuumstat assembly 37. Otherconventional regulatory ymeans may be a thermostat 57 and the electricswitches 61 and 62 interposed in the lines L1 and L2 showndiagrammatically in FIG. 4.

The cabinet structure 68 may be of yany conventional` From FIG. 3 it isbelieved obvious that, considering the dotted line showing the outermosttubul-ar walls 5 of the housing 4, the liquid content of the vessel B,outwardly of these walls 5, is very considerably greater than the liquidcontent within any of the walls 5 or, in fact, all of them. By way ofexample, the volume of liquid within the vessel B, exclusive of thevolumes within the six housings 4, as compared with the volume of liquidwithin any one of the housings 4, may be substantially 12:1, indicatinga great difference between the volume of liquid being vaporized in thevaporizer units and the volume of liquid otherwise in the vessel.Employing six housings 4, the volume of liquid being confined forvaporization at the same time may be substantially 3 gallons, ascompared with 36 gallons otherwise within the vessel B.

With the above example in mind, it will be noted, such as in FIG. l,that substantially one-half of the electric heating coils 1 aresubmerged in two quarts of liquid maintained in each of the tubularmembers 3. As ya result, the coils of the electric heating element bringand maintain this liquid to the boiling point (212 F.) and generatevapor at that temperature. The spray nozzles 9, spraying a ne liquidmist on the upper half of the coils 1, loses some of its heat and thiscauses a change of this liquid mist to a large volume of Vapor, having atemperature of about 160 F. and the mixture of vapor at 212 F. and vaporat 160 F. results in a composite vapor with a temperature ofsubstantially 186 F.

In the operation of the apparatus for the electric vaporization ofliquid, with liquid, as water, introduced by way of the liquid intakemeans 29-32 and 43, into the vessel B until a preferred level as thelevel 44 is reached within and without the housings 4, and the valve 34closed, the electric switches 61 and 62 are closed and the vacuumstat 37is manually setto establish a preferred vacuum (22) in the Vacuum space35 and throughout the vapor line 36 to the radiators andradiators-return line to the vacuum pump 39 which discharges vapor, airand condensate through discharge conduit 40 into the pneumatic space 63,the thermostat 57 reacts for a heat to a preset temperature, the unitsvaporizer heating elements 1 are energized, and Within a short interval(substantially a minute) hot vapor builds up a slight pressure in thehousings 4, and ows, at a temperature of substantially 186 F., throughthe radiators at a high velocity induced by vacuum pump 39, and isdischarged into the pneumatic space 63, and preheats, to a certainextent, the liquid contained in the storage vessel B, thereby increasingthe efficiency of the vaporizers A, as the pressure pump 60 recirculatesthe discharge from the spray nozzles therewith. As is apparent, theapparatus and heating system operates on a closed-loop vapor system.

It is now believed obvious that any apparatus of a given liquid capacityis flexible, as to B.t.u. capacity, by simply decreasing or increasingthe watt output of the resistance elements 1 and it is unnecessary toincrease the liquid capacity of the vaporizing units A.

Various changes in the size, shape and arrangement of parts may be madeto the form of invention herein shown and described, without departingfrom the spirit of the invention or scope of the claims.

What is claimed is:

1. Apparatus for the electric heating and vaporization of a liquid forspace-heating purposes, said apparatus including a vessel containingsaid liquid and having a vacuum space, a pneumatic space, aliquid-containing space therein and a partition separating said vacuumspace from said pneumatic space, said pneumatic space andliquidcontaining space being open to one another; means carried by saidvessel -to conduct liquid from exteriorly of said vessel to saidliquid-containing space; a plurality of spaced apart slender vaporizerunits carried by and within said vessel, each vaporizer unit having ahousing dening an additional liquid-containing space open to therstnamed liquid-containing space and in communication with each other,an electric heating element-containing space and a sprayed liquiddischarge space, with an opening in said housing from said sprayedliquid-discharge space to said Vacuum space, an electric heating elementimmersed in the liquid within each of said electric heatingelementcontaining space and within the additional liquid containingspaces and below said sprayed liquid discharge space, and carried bysaid Vessel; means for creating a vacuum in said vacuum space, carriedby said vessel; means for spraying liquid upon each of said electricheating elements, carried by said vessel and opening to the electricelements-containing spaces; means carried by said vessel forpressurizing the first-named liquid and opening to said pneumatic space;and means carried by said vessel for the dicharge of hot vapor from saidvacuum space, the liquidcontaining space in each of said housings havinga liquid capacity considerably smaller than the liquid capacity of saidliquid-containing space in said vessel, whereby only the liquid withineach of said slender housings will be heated and vaporized.

2. Apparatus for the electric heating and vaporization of a liquid forspace-heating purposes, said apparatus including a vessel containingsaid liquid; a drum within and carried by said vessel and dening aVacuum space therein and, with portions of the wall of said vessel andthe surface of said liquid defining a pneumatic space below said vacuumspace; manually-operable liquid intake means to introduced said liquidinto said vessel; a plurality of spaced-apart upwardly extendingvaporizer units within said vessel and carried thereby and extendingdownwardly through the vacuum and pneumatic spaces and into said liquid,each unit having a housing including walls with a liquid passagewayopening from the interior of the housing to said liquid, and a vaporexist opening from said interior to said vacuum space, electric means toconvert said liquid within each of said housings into hot vapor to exitthrough said vapor exit opening into said vacuum space, said electricmeans being carried by said housings -conduit; means to conduct said hotvapor out of said Vessel for heating purposes until said hot vapor iscondensed; condensed liquid spray means for spraying a portion of thecondensate upon said electric means, including spray nozzles extendinginto said housings; and means carried by said vessel to create pneumaticpressure in said pneumatic space to bear upon said surface.

3. Apparatus according to claim 2 characterized in that said vaporizerunits include disc portions supported upon said drum, whereby saidvaporizer units may be removed and replaced in said vessel.

4. Apparatus according to claim 2 characterized in that said drumsupports portions of said liquid spray means.

5. Apparatus according to claim 4 characterized in that said drumsupport portions of said liquid spray means and said liquid spray meansincludes a manifold and a plurality of conduits radiating from saidmanifold and opening to the interiors of said vaporizer units.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 944,050 12/1909Rains 219-319 2,490,547 12/ 1949 Schraner et al. 122-40 RICHARD M. wooD,Primary Examiner.

C. L. ALBRITION, Assistant Examiner.

1. APPARATUS FOR THE ELECTRIC HEATING AND VAPORIZATION OF A LIQUID FORSPACE-HEATING PURPOSES, SAID APPARATUS INCLUDING A VESSEL CONTAININGSAID LIQUID AND HAVING A VACUUM SPACE, A PNEUMATIC SPACE, ALIQUID-CONTAINING SPACE THEREIN AND A PARTITION SEPARATING SAID VACUUMSPACE FROM SAID PNEUMATIC SPACE, SAID PNEUMATIC SPACE ANDLIQUIDCONTAINING SPACE BEING OPEN TO ONE ANOTHER; MEANS CARRIED BY SAIDVESSEL TO CONDUCT LIQUID FROM EXTERIORLY OF SAID VESSEL TO SAIDLIQUID-CONTAINING SPACE; A PLURALITY OF SPACED APART SLENDER VAPORIZERUNITS CARRIED BY AND WITHIN SAID VESSEL, EACH VAPORIZER UNIT HAVING AHOUSING DEFINING AN ADDITIONAL LIQUID-CONTAINING SPACE OPEN TO THEFIRSTNAMED LIQUID-CONTAINING SPACE AND IN COMMUNICATION WITH EACH OTHER,AN ELECTRIC HEATING ELEMENT-CONTAINING SPACE AND A SPRAYED LIQUIDDISCHARGE SPACE, WITH AN OPENING IN SAID HOUSING FROM SAID SPRAYEDLIQUID-DISCHARGE SPACE TO SAID VACUUM SPACE, AN ELECTRIC HEATING ELEMENTIMMERSED IN THE LIQUID WITHIN EACH OF SAID ELECTRIC HEATINGELEMENTCONTAINING SPACE AND WITHIN THE ADDITIONAL LIQUID CONTAININGSPACES AND BELOW SAID SPRAYED LIQUID DISCHARGE SPACE, AND CARRIED BYSAID VESSEL; MEANS FOR CREATING A VACUUM IN SAID VACUUM SPACE, CARRIEDBY SAID VESSEL; MEANS FOR SPRAYING LIQUID UPON EACH OF SAID ELECTRICHEATING ELEMENTS, CARRIED BY SAID VESSEL AND OPENING TO THE ELECTRICELEMENTS-CONTAINING SPACES; MEANS CARRIED BY SAID VESSEL FORPRESSURIZING THE FIRST-NAMED LIQUID AND OPENING TO SAID PNEUMATIC SPACE;AND MEANS CARRIED BY SAID VESSEL FOR THE DISCHARGE OF HOT VAPOR FROMSAID VACUUM SPACE, THE LIQUIDCONTAINING SPACE IN EACH OF SAID HOUSINGHAVING A LIQUID CAPACITY CONSIDERABLY SMALLER THAN THE LIQUID CAPACITYOF SAID LIQUID-CONTAINING SPACE IN SAID VESSEL, WHEREBY ONLY THE LIQUIDWITHIN EACH OF SAID SLENDER HOUSING WILL BE HEATED AND VAPORIZED.